Top Performing Countries In The Uber Cup

The Uber Cup is an international women badminton competition which follows a similar to the men’s badminton completion known as the Thomas Cup. The completion is named after Betty Uber, a British badminton player who first suggested an idea of having women’s badminton event similar to the men’s. The competition was first held in 1956-1957 and was contested after every three years until 1984. Since then, it has held every two years alongside the Thomas Cup and at the same time and same venues. The inaugural Uber Cup competition took place in Lancashire and the draw was done by Betty Uber. Only five countries have successfully contested the cup. Here are some of the winners of the Uber Cup:

Top Performing Countries

China

China has been the most successful country in the Uber Cup competition. The country has made it to the finals of the cup competition a record 17 times, winning 14 titles in the process. China has also hosted the competition three times, emerging the winner in all. It first won the Uber Cup in 1984, thrashing England five-nil in the finals and retained the trophy for the next five cup editions. It made it to the 1992 and 1994 finals, but the Indonesian team proved too powerful for them on both occasions. However, they were able to beat Indonesia in the 1996 finals and went on to win the cup a record six times before losing to Japan in 2010. China again won the completion three consecutive times in 2012, 2014, and 2016. In 2018, they were knocked out at the semi-finals.

Japan

Japan has hosted the Uber Cup competition five times. It has also made it to the finals eight times winning the trophy it six times. Japan was the second country to win the Uber Cup after the US. It won the maiden trophy in 1966 and retained in 1969 and 1972 before losing to Indonesia in the finals of 1975. However, it thrashed Indonesia in the 1978 completion to win the cup for the fourth time and retained the trophy again in 1981 competition. For the next 17 cup competitions, Japan cheered other countries to the podium only making it to the finals in 2014. However, in 2018, it took Bangkok by storm, beating Thailand, the host, in the finals. Interestingly, four of Japan’s six wins at the final has been against Indonesia.

Indonesia

Indonesia has been one of the most successful countries at the Uber Cup. The country has managed to reach the finals of the cup ten times, only China has reached the finals more than ten times. Indonesia has won the cup only three times, winning it for the first time in 1975 as a host. It again won the trophy in 1994 and retained in 1996. Since 1998, Indonesia has never made it to the finals of the competition.

United States

The US was the first country to win the Uber Cup. The country has made it to the finals of the competition four times, winning on three occasions. The three wins came in the first three editions of the cup; in 1957, 1960, and 1963. Since then, the country has only made it to the finals once in 1966.

South Korea

Although South Korea has managed to reach the finals of the competition eight times, they have won the cup only once in 2010.